Emergency service vehicles today contain a large collection of electronic equipment such as, communication radios, warning lights, computers, video systems, radar, etc. The current state of the art is to provide a control head (containing switches, displays, etc.) for each piece of equipment. In rare cases a computer with a touch screen will control a set of devices. In the absence of a computer, the passenger compartment is cluttered with control heads, and often with the equipment itself since the control head is often integral with the equipment.
While the prior art achieves its intended purpose significant problems still exist. For example, the many devices and control heads occupy and compete for space within the passenger compartment of the vehicle. Additionally, the distribution and clutter created by the positioning of the devices within the vehicle creates an inefficient environment for the operator since the operator must search for the correct switch to activate each function.
However, if the vehicle is equipped with a computer, the touch screen is generally awkward since it is, typically, poorly placed (to avoid the airbag deployment zone). Moreover, the conventional screens provide no tactile feedback regarding control locations on the screen.
Therefore, there is a need for a new and improved device and method for controlling a plurality of user appliances. The new and improved device or method should be ergonomically designed to enforce hand placement and thus eliminate the problem of finding the correct switch. Additionally, the controls on the new and improved device should have software-defined functions, enabling the key functions of a plurality of equipment to be managed from a single device.
These and other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description of the invention in combination with the accompanying drawings.